“Dr.” Nicole Jones Wadsworth drops the Wadsworth; Newsom dodges Alabama reporters, makes time for Reed; Alabama’s already got a Dolly Parton bridge and more on this week’s Off the Record

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September 4, 2026

Off The Record: The latest rumors and rumblings in Alabama

“Dr.” Nicole Jones ~~Wadsworth~~

A woman who is infamous for frequently playing fast and loose with titles (and names) made another alteration to her own this week. Nicole Jones Wadsworth’s Facebook profile quietly dropped the “Wadsworth” this week, reverting to simply Nicole Jones.

The name in question ties back to State Rep. Tim Wadsworth (R-Arley), who she has publicly referred to as her husband — though no one can find a single record confirming the two are, or were, actually married.

After a cringey statewide run for Lt. Governor, Jones seems to be posturing back to a name she picked up in 2006 through a marriage to a Huntsville-area public school teacher. Prior to that, she went by surname Flaherty, origin unclear. But when she first moved to Alabama in 2004, her surname was Sivak, origin super unclear.

Gavin Newsom cutting a deal with Steven Reed?

California Governor Gavin Newsom was in Alabama this week, and took no questions from reporters, but made time for Mayor Steven Reed. Reed’s father, Joe, has bossed the Alabama Democratic Conference since 1979 and just watched his hand-picked chairman get tossed from party leadership over State Sen. Bobby Singleton. A 2028 hopeful desperate for black voters in a Southern primary and a machine that needs a patron to prove it still runs met behind a closed door. Call it a deal neither man had the nerve to make in daylight. Last time the Reeds picked a presidential horse, it was Hillary over Obama.

The Dolly Parton Boob Bridge

A story on a state lawmaker’s push for a “Dolly Parton Memorial Bridge” following the country icon’s death got one commenter thinking double-D bigger. Why not just rename the General W.K. Wilson Jr. Bridge near Mobile, already affectionately nicknamed the “Dolly Parton Bridge?” There’s nothing quite like the two spanning arches that make passersby think fondly of the Backwoods Barbie. No new construction needed. Sometimes the tribute writes itself.

Ghost Pirates, Ghost Peppers and now some Havoc

The Huntsville Havoc have a new majority owner, and apparently there’s always room for one more on the Zawyer Sports & Entertainment team bus. Zawyer has acquired a controlling interest in the Havoc, adding Huntsville to a roster that already includes the Jacksonville Icemen, Greensboro Gargoyles, Savannah Ghost Pirates, Charlotte Checkers, Mobile Mysticks and Gastonia Ghost Peppers, plus basketball teams, ice facilities, a marketing agency and a few teams it manages just for good measure. Keith and Becky Jeffries will remain the Havoc’s largest minority partner, and the front office isn’t changing. OTR tried to keep track of the entire Zawyer lineup, but somewhere between the Ghost Pirates and Ghost Peppers we got sent to the penalty box.

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